Parents in Sarasota County, Florida, flooded school board members with complaints after high school students viewed a graphic, sexually-charged Planned Parenthood sex ed video without parental consent.
“We are getting a flood of e-mails, phone calls and Facebooks,” said school board member Eric Robinson, according to Fox 13 News, about the video that features a man grabbing a woman’s breast and same-sex couples making out.
Planned Parenthood produced the video and Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center (SPARCC) showed it to Pine View High School students Wednesday during an English Literature class, allegedly to teach students about consent for sex.
“Asking for consent doesn’t have to be awkward,” says the video narrator. “Asking for consent can be kind of sexy.”
Parents, however, were not asked for their consent to allow their children to view the video.
SPARCC has reportedly been providing sex education throughout the school district for more than a decade. The group has now been suspended from similar programs until the district performs a review.
“As an adult it can be hard to watch without being uncomfortable, I can imagine how a teenager would watch,” Robinson said about the video. “The giggles and the gasps.”
SPARCC issued an apology for showing the video.
“We sincerely apologize for the incident last Wednesday at Pine View,” SPARCC said. “The staff member did not follow established protocol regarding the programming presented, and the organization has acted to ensure that this does not happen again.”
“SPARCC has had a positive relationship with Sarasota County Schools that has spanned more than 15 years and we take the trust placed in our organization very seriously,” the apology continued. “Preventing domestic/dating violence and sexual assault is central to our mission and SPARCC aims to be a trusted resource for our community.”
In October, Planned Parenthood announced Dr. Sara C. Flowers, former director of youth initiatives at the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, assumed the post of vice president of education.
“Right now, it’s more important than ever that we respond to the evolving needs of young people and ensure that they have access to sex education that’s inclusive of all people, sex-positive, shame-free, and skills-based,” said Flowers in a statement. “Planned Parenthood is uniquely positioned to provide sex education and information to millions of people — online and face-to-face in schools and communities — and to respond to the unique needs of the diverse audiences across these spaces.”
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